One of the
founding fathers of the Wesleyan Church in Victoria and a pioneer of
Brighton, Charles Stone was born in London on 4 August 1819, the son of
Robert Stone (d 1875) and Elizabeth née Burrell. As a teenager, the
family migrated to Van Dieman’s Land (Tasmania) landing at Hobart Town in
April 1834 after a tedious voyage of nearly eight months where they spent
the next three years. It was here that Stone, in his own words “found peace
through believing in Jesus my Saviour” and made his “first attempt to preach
at Roseneath, a few miles from Hobart, in June 1838”. Soon after he left
for the young Port Phillip settlement in November 1838 where he “exercised
his gifts by feeding the little flock” and spent a period at Little (East)
Brighton on Henry Dendy’s (Walhalla Cemetery) Special Survey. In
October 1841, Stone moved to Williamstown opening a day school, “athirst for
knowledge” dedicated and committed and “often rose a three o’clock to ready
and study”. Returning to Brighton four years later he taught for the next
six years and later established business as a gardener and florist in Union
Street (Hawthorn Road); his advice during the introduction of Public
Education was keenly sought. “Uniform in temper and kindness”, Stone was an
original Trustee of the Brighton General Cemetery (1854-98) and a local
Councillor (1861-64). Writing in “A Century of Victorian Methodism”,
the Rev. Sir C. Iriving
Benson (q.v.) said of Stone: “he was a greatly respected figure in
the community, a trusted confidant of many, advising them in matters of law,
making out their wills, prescribing medicine for their ailments, and the
blessing of the peacemaker was his. There was a beautiful balance in his
Christian character, gracious and tender, yet strong in principle and mighty
with God” while the local Brighton Leader commented “his sterling
character, fidelity to principle, and his unvarying integrity made him a
power for good…no one could justly charge him with uttering a discourteous
word, or performing an unkind action”. He died on 13 August 1898 survived
by his wife and large family of four sons and six daughters; his marriage to
Emma née Hurlstone (d 1901) in 1839 was one of the first performed in the
colony while his death removed one of the last direct links with John
Batman. Many old residents attended his funeral to pay their last
respects which was said to have been one of the largest processions in the
district.